“I am the bread of life.” Jesus’ words from John 6 are likely familiar. They evoke feelings of joy and gratefulness that “whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty” (John 6:35 NLT). That is, without a doubt, the most amazing news in the world! But there’s actually more going on in this passage—let’s back up a few verses for the full context.

John 6 begins with Jesus feeding 5,000 men and their families with nothing but five loaves of bread and two fish. The people are amazed! That night, Jesus and the disciples cross the Sea of Galilee (there’s a storm; Jesus walks on water—you probably know the story), and the next day the crowds follow. They demand Jesus gives them a miraculous sign like when God gave the Israelites manna in the wilderness. The irony is obvious—Jesus just produced a bready miracle, and here are the crowds asking for another. Jesus isn’t fazed. He responds that the true bread of God is “the bread that comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:33 NIV). And He reveals two verses later: “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35 NIV). Amazing news, right? Well, let’s see what the crowd thinks.

“At this the Jews there began to grumble about him … They said, ‘Is this not Jesus, the son of Joseph …? How can he now say, “I came down from heaven”?’” (John 6:41–42 NIV). Jesus responds, “Stop grumbling among yourselves,” and explains He is the “living bread.” Whoever “eats this bread will live forever” (John 6:43, 51 NIV).

And then what do the crowds do? They start arguing again! Once more, Jesus speaks over them saying, “Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever” (John 6:58 NIV).

Jesus’ great proclamation, “I am the bread of life,” was actually a correction—a critical clarification of who He is and how we must receive Him! What does that say about the crowds who were listening? Who had already seen the miraculous but needed another sign?

But how quick can you and I be to judge? Let’s put ourselves in a similar situation—what’s revealed about us? I’ve certainly felt like I needed a new miracle, a fresh sign to give hope and make me believe again.

Two thousand years ago a Child was born in squalor. That Child was (and is) the all-powerful, all-loving God of creation who came to take away the sins of the world. There has never been and never will be a more breathtaking, enduring, miraculous sign that we are beloved by God.

God is kind, and He will often give us new miracles to remind us of His faithfulness, but you and I must never allow the search for those new miracles to displace the Miracle: a baby born to a virgin who made it possible for us to be called the children of God.

So, eat some bread this Christmas.